Alfred Nobel

“ There is a class of explosives long known, but not, at the date of Nobel's invention, applied to technical purposes, is consequence of practical difficulties in procuring their explosion. Such substances are nitro-glycerine, the nitrates of ethyl and of methyl, and nitro-man-ite. These substances are liquids at ordinary temperatures, and by that characteristic are distinguishable from solid explosives, such as gunpowder, gun-cotton, &c.; and they have also the property that fire may be applied to them without their exploding. ”

“ A fourth mode of producing the initial explosion is by means of a spark, or by heat developed by a powerful current of electricity within the charge of nitro-glycerine, which is so inclosed as not to afford an escape to the gas developed thereby. ”

“ Nitro-glycerine, as well as the analogous explosives hereinbefore named, being liquid, is in such condition that it cannot escape from the influence of the initial explosion, (as, for instance, when placed in a bore-hole for blasting,) receives and propagates the initial pressure through its whole mass, and the first impulse of explosion is communicated throughout the whole charge, effecting its instantaneous decomposition and explosion. By the terms impulse of explosion is meant motion produced to effect the explosion by suddenly-communicated force. ”